Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box GE105 Introduction to Engineering Design College of Engineering King Saud University Lecture 8. Creativity: Thinking Outside the Box FALL 2017

Before We Start “The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.” Linus Pauling (Nobel Laureate) “Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.”  Emile Chartier (French Philosopher) i.e. the bottom line is you need ideas, no matter how you look at it, from artistic or scientific perspectives

Creativity A mental process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new relations between existing ideas or concepts It is both: an art and a science It is doing things in a “non-normal” way

Creative Novel New Unusual Unique Clever Illogical Different Innovative Unusual Unique Clever Different Illogical Insightful Creative Novel: بديع؛ غير مألوف

Creativity is a skill; innovation is a process Invention Creativity is the capability or act of conceiving something original or unusual. Innovation is the implementation of something new. Invention is the creation of something that has never been made before and is recognized as the product of some unique insight. i.e. from creativity to invention you go from idea to physical entity Creativity is a skill; innovation is a process

Thinking Outside the Box A “box” confines and restricts thinking. A creative person is not confined to a box, but sees opportunities outside the box. Creative thinking (Lateral) Divergent* Right brain (global, parallel, emotional, subjective) Synthesis Critical thinking (Logical) Convergent Left brain (analytic, serial, logical, objective) Evaluation Divergent: زائغ; convergent: متقارب

Lateral Thinking Example Without lifting your pencil from the paper, draw four and only four straight lines that connect all nine dots 1 2 3 4

If you did not get the correct answer that is because: You used logic ; you did not think outside the box You may have assumed that you needed to stay within the boundaries You made false assumptions in order to fit the problem to your previous experience

Another Example Think of this as a shovel with a coin inside. Move just two sticks so that the coin is no longer inside, but there is still a shovel.

Using lateral thinking and thinking outside the box, you should get:

A Final Example A B C D You are given 4 separate pieces of chain that are 3 links in length, each It costs 100 SR to open a link and 150 SR to close a link All links are closed at the beginning of the problem Your goal is to join all 12 links of chain into a single circle Your total budget for forming the single circle is 750SR.

Solution (not creative/not correct) Open link of A SR100 Add B (close) (A+B) SR150 Open A + B SR100 TOTAL SR1000! Not 750

Creative Solution Your assumption eliminated the solution Break the assumption that when you open a link, you are limited to inserting only one link into the opening Step 1: Open all links in A  SR300 Step 2: Use A to combine B+C  SR150 Use A to combine D  SR150 Step 3: Step 4: Use final link to combine chain SR150 Your assumption eliminated the solution TOTAL $750!!!

Outside the Box Thinking To be creative* you need to be able to view things from different perspectives; you must have flexibility and a tolerance of ambiguity! There is one right answer That is not logical Follow the rules That is not my area Don’t be foolish To err is wrong I am not creative Premature Judgment Mental locks Think Laterally Don’t impose assumptions Work when your mind is fresh Work fast and short periods Focus Push hard Have fun No fear Mental Unlocks * Further reading: “Introduction to Creative Thinking” by Robert Harris. In: VirtualSalt April 2, 2012.

Creativity as a Process Preparation (Definition of issue, Collecting background information & Focusing on the problem or opportunity) Incubation* (laying the issue aside for some time) Illumination (emerging of the new idea; an idea will flash into your mind) Implementation/Verification (Develop a plan to implement the idea and to check it out) Incubation: إحتضان

Characteristics of Creative People Achiever Motivated Flexible Confident Independent Knowledgeable Skeptical Energetic Humorous Open-mined Tolerant Adaptable Persistent Dreamer

Some Final Thoughts Creativity must be experienced, to be understood Hints to becoming more creative Hangout with creative people Practice mental drawing* Keep a journal** Keep an open mind Maintain a positive attitude Try new things “Think Outside the Box” Practice creativity-enhancing exercises Stay alert for opportunities * Do you know what this is? (usually this is an exercise to see what is the first thing that comes to mind using drawing; results are usually amazing!) * * In your case, logbook

Watch this video on creativity “Only 3% of people” pass this creative test, can you? https://youtu.be/aH2ll5bwpKw Further reading: “Introduction to Creative Thinking” by Robert Harris. In: VirtualSalt April 2, 2012.